(July 26, 2005—Minneapolis)— As part of a national campaign made possible by a $1,000,000 grant from the 3M Foundation, and inspired by the need to promote family sun safety, local and national dermatologic experts from the Women’s Dermatologic Society (WDS) will present a community and media relations forum, “Close-Up on Sun Safety” at the Walker Art Center on Thursday, August 4, 2005, from 6-8 pm in the Skyline Room.

This event, hosted by Minnesota dermatologists Maria Hordinsky, M.D., Professor and Chair, University of Minnesota Medical School, and Kathleen Hectorne, M.D., Instructor of Dermatology, Mayo Clinic Medical School and consultant, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, is designed to provide key insights and information about sun safety to local community leaders and media representatives as part of the national outreach effort, “Families Play Safe in the Sun,” geared for families and students. Minneapolis –St. Paul is the second stop of the WDS 15-city, 3-year educational campaign with the mission to educate, encourage and empower people of all ages to make sun safety a way of life. In light of the fact that overexposure to the sun is the primary and most preventable cause of skin cancer, the WDS membership is fully committed to promoting sun safety and proper skin health habits taught early in life and practiced daily.

“Close-Up on Sun Safety” will feature presentations by WDS members Suzanne Connolly, M.D., Associate Professor of Dermatology, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, addressing “Sun Safety Solutions from the National Perspective”, Maria Hordinsky, M.D., and Julie Seim Cronk, M.D., Dermatologist and Mohs Micrographic Surgeon, Dermatology Consultants, St. Paul, and Clinical Instructor, University of Minnesota, covering “Sun Safety Strategies—Learning from the Australian Experience”. Following these talks, forum participants will engage in roundtable discussions hosted by Minnesota dermatologists to explore ways to utilize local and national resources to heighten sun safety awareness and action in local communities.

Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres reception begins at 6 pm in the Skyline Room at the Walker Art Center. For reservations, contact Tamra Bidegary, 1-877-WDS-ROSE.

• WHO: The Women’s Dermatologic Society with local dermatologist members Dr. Maria Hordinsky, Dr. Kathy Hectorne and Dr. Julie Cronk
• WHAT: Sun Safety Forum, “Close-Up on Sun Safety”
• WHERE: Skyline Room, Walker Art Center, 1750 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis.
• WHEN: Thursday, August 4, 2005, 6-8 pm. Cocktail reception, sun safety presentations and roundtable discussions
• INFORMATION and RESERVATIONS: 1-877-WDS-ROSE

For further information about Women’s Dermatologic Society, visit: www.womensderm.org www.playsafeinthesun.org Contact (General Inquiries): WDS Offices at 1-877-WDS-ROSE (937-7673) Contact (Media Inquiries): Nancy FitzGerald, Director of Communications at (760) 333-9296 The Women's Dermatologic Society supports the careers and professional development of women dermatologists. The mission of the Women’s Dermatologic Society is to help women in dermatology achieve their greatest personal and professional potential by striving to: foster, promote, and support women’s issues in dermatology; identify, train, and recognize women leaders in dermatology; and provide a forum for developing relationships.